Will the Honda Odyssey Eventually Be More Popular Than the Pilot?
It’s no secret that minivans are less popular compared to SUVs, but the Honda Odyssey is a notable exception. This particular minivan has recently seen a massive sales boost, eclipsing even its SUV stablemates. Let’s discover why the Honda Odyssey might eventually outshine the Honda Pilot.
Honda Odyssey sales are on the rise
As shown on GoodCarBadCar, the Honda Odyssey’s sales are up by 90% compared to this time last year. It sold over 34,000 units by the end of May 2023, vastly outperforming both the Kia Carnival and the Chrysler Pacifica minivans’ sales in this year’s first quarter.
What’s even more surprising is its sales compared to popular Honda SUVs. The Odyssey is quickly catching up with the Honda Pilot, which has moved just over 45,000 units this year. The Honda Passport seems to be struggling compared to only 20,000 units sold. Meanwhile, the Honda CR-V reigns supreme with over 132,000 units sold and a growth of 41% compared to last year.
While the CR-V may be the most popular of its siblings, it certainly doesn’t have as much space as the Odyssey. This minivan can seat up to eight passengers, offering nearly 41 inches of legroom in both the cabin and second row. The spacious third row is just as suitable for adults and kids, with 38 inches of legroom.
Even with every seat in use, the Odyssey has nearly 33 cubic feet of cargo area. Thanks to Honda’s Magic Slide seats in the second row, you have a lot of flexibility for hauling bulky or long items. While the seats are heavy, they can also be removed entirely from the vehicle.
In addition to its family-friendly seating, the Odyssey offers some handy features for parents. CabinTalk lowers the audio volume so drivers can speak over all the passengers in the second and third rows. Meanwhile, with CabinWatch, parents can keep an eye on young passengers via the center touchscreen without diverting their attention from the road.
Both of those features are standard on the Honda Odyssey Touring, which also adds front and rear parking sensors. However, nearly all of the Odyssey’s advanced safety features are already included in the base EX trim, which has a suggested MSRP of $37,490.
Is the Honda Pilot still a suitable car for families?
For $1,000 less, you could buy a new Honda Pilot instead. The Honda Pilot can seat seven or eight riders depending on the configuration, though its third row is drastically smaller than the Odyssey’s. The Pilot has a slightly more powerful engine, but both cars are identical in terms of fuel economy. However, the Pilot is also much shorter than the Odyssey, so it can’t promise as much maximum cargo capacity.
The Honda Pilot has a few things the Odyssey doesn’t
Even though the Honda Pilot offers a little less utility for growing families, it does have attractive exterior styling. Everything about the Pilot’s front end is new for the 2023 model year, while the Odyssey still sports Honda’s older design language.
The Pilot also offers a rugged Trailsport variation with an exclusive off-roading suspension and all-terrain tires. The Odyssey has no off-roading variant and currently isn’t even available with all-wheel drive. AWD is standard on the Honda Pilot Trailsport and Elite trims, plus it’s an optional feature for every other configuration.
The Honda Odyssey lives up to its primary purpose of being a no-frills 3-row family hauler, which is why it’s so popular. However, it still needs a few more updates for most shoppers to serve as a genuine alternative to the Honda Pilot.
